A Cat and A Sparrow
by Kery J. Wales
Summary: Cat is the friend of Elizabeth and Will. When she meets Jack Sparrow a series of events starts up and her life will change, and perhaps for the better.The PG-13 rating is just in case guys.
1. Default Chapter

Ok, first things first, **this isn't a complete chapter**. And secondly, I don't have a complete idea of where this story is going to go. I'm putting in an original character and I'm trying to figure everything out about her before I really get going on this so that I can make sure her character is consistant. So I'd really like some help on this. I'm putting in a section I typed up one night after I saw POTC and I would really like it if you people could review and ask all the questions you can think of about this story and about my OC. If you people could do that then maybe I could figure out where I want this story to go. Thanks so much.

  


  


  


  


  


Jack looked at the girl. Her calloused hands pushed her black hair out of her face as she stared at him. Her jade green eyes were hard as they took him in.

"Ah yes," she said, her voice mocking. "It's Jack Sparrow. The infamous Jack Sparrow." A few of the pub's members snickered but most remained quiet. Apparently the young woman had a reputation because no one told her to stand down.

"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow," he said. Honestly, why did everyone leave that part out?

"What makes you think you have the right to come in here?" The girl asked venomously.

Jack looked at her. "Well, last I checked love this was a bar open to anyone." He didn't understand what this girl's problem was but it was beginning to annoy him.

"Well, Captain Sparrow, the rules have changed since you last came here." The girl's piercing green eyes locked onto his. "I have a share in this bar and any pirate who comes in here must earn my respect before they drink."

"It's a bit late for that love," Jack said as he raised his half empty bottle of rum. This girl seemed to be trying to pick a fight with him.

"I know," she said, and Jack could've sworn that a hint of a smile flickered across her lips. "Any pirate who fails to earn my respect before drinking must fight with me. A sword fight. If they win then they have the right to throw me out and take my share of the pub. If they lose..." She smirked as though her victory were assured. "I have the right to throw them out and ban they from ever coming back."

She definitely was picking a fight with him. He didn't know what he'd done but whatever it was the girl hated him for it. He thought about it. The girl was not afraid of him which was something. And he could tell she at least knew how to use a sword. Her calloused hands proved it. It was in the way her hand rested on her sword. Her arms were not soft like other lasses' but strong and muscular. 

"All right then love but don't get too upset when I win," Jack said. Like before, only a few of the bar's occupants snickered. The rest were serious, their eyes went from Jack to the girl and back to Jack again.

"Cat, don't," someone said softly. The girl turned to look. The bartender, an old man, was staring at her, worry in his face. "Cat, that's Jack Sparrow."

"I know who it is Tomas," the girl named Cat said through gritted teeth. "What's your point?"

"My point is that I don't want you to make a royal fool of yourself," Tomas said.

The girl turned away from him saying, "Well Tomas I appreciate you concern but I'm afraid I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request." Her eyes met Jack's again. "As the challenger you have the right to choose the ground Mr. Sparrow. Will it be in here or outside?"

"Oh, outside I think love," Jack said. Cat turned her back to him and proceeded to the doorway. Jack could have handled it then but he didn't care to. He was not one for attacking people when their backs were turned. Sure, he'd been known to cheat when it came to face-to-face fighting but he believed in at least giving his opponents a chance. Besides, this girl was so cocky, so sure she could beat him that he couldn't help but be interested in how good she was.

As they stepped out of the bar a gust of wind swept across the yard. The moon shone down on the ground, illuminating everything with its pale silvery light. The people in the bar crowded around the doorway but were wise enough not to emerge into the yard.

Jack studied the girl as she turned to face him. The moonlight made her appear ghostlike. Every part of her, her face, her clothes, her hair seemed unreal, of another world. The only things that failed to have this appearance were her eyes. They shone grayish-green in the darkness, like a cat's eyes and Jack realized he knew where she'd gotten her name.

She drew her sword slowly, letting the moon's pale light shimmer on the blade. She held it out in front of her. There was ceremony, he realized to the way she drew her sword and ceremony to the way she held it. She'd done this before, many times before. Not one for ceremony, Jack quickly unsheathed his sword and held it out in front of him. He grinned. Cat raised an eyebrow at him as they began to circle each other.

He attacked first, his blade flashing towards her throat. She knocked it aside with ease. Jack's grin widened. The girl was good. It wasn't very often he ran across a girl who could handle a sword well, much less even lift one. This would be interesting.

Suddenly the girl's sword came flashing toward his throat. Jack knocked it aside. She smiled, the smile of a cat about to fall upon its prey. Lunging towards him, she swung her sword. Jack blocked and they had begun.


	2. A Wedding and a Fight

**A/N:** Ha-ha! After working on it all week, I finally have a full chapter. You may notice that I included the scene from last time but I changed the viewpoint. You'll see what I mean. Sorry bout taking so long, school, homework etc. 

  


This is my first POTC ff, so try not to be to hard on me. (Constructive criticism is welcome though!)

  


I forgot to include this last time so...

  


**Disclaimer:** I do not own (obviously) anything from Pirates of the Caribbean. Nope, Disney wouldn't sell me the rights for all the money I have (25 cents). Cat and her bar are mine though. Mine! (Yes, sometimes I'm slightly odd. Sorry if I scare you. *Grins insanely*)

  


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Chapter 1: A Wedding and a Fight

  


Jennifer "Cat" Cattilia was sitting at a table in her bar, debating whether or not to go to Elizabeth and Will's wedding. She knew she ought to, Elizabeth had practically begged her to come but Cat didn't like the idea of closing the bar. She'd have a lot of angry customers on her hands and she had to have business. 

  


Cat's eyes strayed to the grating that was open next to the doorway. She supposed she could always lock that to keep people from breaking in. Will had fixed it for her, it was the same sort of door they used in the jail cells. He'd made it when she'd been having trouble with people breaking in and stealing her rum. Her rum was of very high quality, partially because Cat had convinced Elizabeth to get her father to buy it and then send it to Cat.

  


_If I don't go,_ Cat found herself thinking, _Elizabeth will be so mad. I mean, I already agreed didn't I?_ Cat had already put on the dress Elizabeth had insisted she wear for the wedding. Cat didn't want to go though. Norrington would be there.

  


Which was the real reason for not wanting to go. Elizabeth's father had convinced her to invite Norrington, even though the man had wanted Elizabeth for himself. Cat didn't like the man at all and she didn't want to have anything to do with him. He only just barely tolerated her bar, because she was good friends with Elizabeth.

  


_I wouldn't have to socialize with him though. I could just stick around Elizabeth and Will the whole time until the ceremony. And even then I wouldn't have to sit near him._ Her mind made up, Cat went and got the key to the grating door and locked it and the regular wooden door as she left.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


Jack Sparrow knew he was taking a risk. He knew that he really shouldn't be so close to Port Royal with Norrington there and all. But he couldn't miss the lovebird's wedding. The two of them were going to get married tonight and Will and Elizabeth had made him promise to come. He didn't actually have to attend the ceremony but they wanted him to see it. 

  


Jack sighed to himself as he climbed out of the rowboat. The sun was setting on the ocean as he turned to look back at the Pearl. The sun glimmered on the water, and it was almost like a scene from a painting. Jack shook himself. He had to hurry if he wanted to find a safe spot to watch the ceremony from.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


Cat hurried up to the door of the governor's house. The governor insisted that the wedding be held at his house and Cat could see why. The grounds were perfect for an outdoor ceremony. Sighing, Cat went to knock on the door and was surprised when it flew open before she could do so.

  


"Jennifer!" Elizabeth said as she pulled Cat into a hug.

  


"Elizabeth," Cat said as she detached herself from the bride. "How many times do I have to tell you? It's _Cat**,**_ not Jennifer." She smiled. "How long have you been waiting for me?"

  


"For five minutes at least," Elizabeth said. "I was afraid you wouldn't show."

  


"I promised didn't I?" Cat said.

  


"Well, it wouldn't have been the first time you didn't show for something."

  


"Where's everyone else?" Cat asked. The sooner she knew where Norrington was the easier she could avoid him.

  


"Everyone's out in the backyard, where we'll be having the ceremony," Elizabeth said. "You'd better get back there by the way, we're going to be starting soon."

  


Cat nodded, hugged her friend again and set off for the back. When she got there the first thing she noticed was how many redcoats there were. That Elizabeth would tolerate that was astonishing to Cat. She had invited Sparrow, hadn't she? And she was tolerating redcoats at her wedding? Cat shook herself, this was Elizabeth's wedding, not hers. She wouldn't have allowed redcoats at her wedding...

  


_Wait, what am I thinking?_ Cat thought. _My wedding? I don't even plan on marrying! Gee, I haven't even been here five minutes and I need a drink. _Cat made her way to the refreshment table and grabbed a glass of wine. Sipping on it, she went to find herself a seat.

  


She nearly ran into a redcoat as she turned around. The rude comment she was about to make died in her throat as she realized this particular redcoat was none other than Commodore Norrington.

  


"Commodore," she said her voice reserved, "forgive me, I did not see you."

  


"That is quite understandable Miss Cattilia," Norrington said. His own voice held a note of annoyance, as it always did when he spoke to her. "How are you this evening?"

  


Cat hated making small talk and if it weren't for the fact that this Elizabeth's wedding she would have been tempted to turn and walk off. She managed to bring a smile to her face, the false smile she reserved for social events. "I am well enough Commodore and yourself?"

  


"I am well." He was silent for a moment. Then in a quiet voice he said, "I have been informed that _Captain_ Jack Sparrow is in the area Miss Cattilia."

  


"Indeed?" What was he hinting at? That she knew where he was?

  


"If you happen to run across him, I will expect you to report it immediately."

  


"Of course Commodore," she said. Norrington turned around and walked off. _Well, _Cat thought_, that was odd._ Did he really think she would even consider going near Sparrow? Well, all right, she could understand why he might think that she'd see him. She did, after all, run an establishment that allowed pirates. But did he honestly think that she would be allowing Sparrow in her bar for one minute? 

  


Cat walked over to find a seat, the ceremony was about to start.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two hours later, and slightly tipsy, Cat made her way through Port Royal to her bar. There was a crowd of men and even a few women standing around outside it and Cat grinned to herself.

  


"Hey Cat, where you been?" Tomas, the old bartender called. "The customers have been rather upset."

  


"Sorry 'bout that Tomas," she said. "I had a wedding to go to and you know my policy."

  


Tomas nodded and the group of men cleared a path to the doorway for her. Pulling the key out of a pocket in her dress she unlocked both of the doors and headed inside. She nodded to Tomas and helped him light the lanterns. As the crowd that had been collecting outside began to filter in Cat said, "Tomas, there's word that Jack Sparrow may be in town. If he comes in here, let me know. The last thing I need is _Commodore_ Norrington throwing me into jail for aiding a wanted criminal."

  


"Of course," Tomas said. "Now go sleep off some of that wine. I don't need my boss being on drunk on me got it?"

  


"Who said I'm drunk?" Cat muttered as she headed to the back of the bar where her room was located. She pulled off her dress and changed into her more comfortable, A.K.A. men's, clothes before tumbling onto the bed and falling into sleep.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


Jack walked down the streets of Port Royal. He'd snuck into the Governor's house though one of the windows and watched the ceremony from one of the guest rooms. As he had expected it had been long dull and boring. And unlike the guests, he hadn't had a chance to drink anything, be it rum or wine. Jack had decided he needed a pick-me-up before he headed back to the Pearl for the night. He would be seeing Elizabeth and Will the next morning, if he managed to get around Norrington's men.

  


A small bar on the outskirts of town caught his attention. Grinning to himself he walked in. 

  


The bar was fairly well lit, though the corners were dark and shadowy. Jack headed to the bar where the old bartender was polishing a glass. Jack sat down and the old man came over to him.

  


"What'll it be?" he asked, his voice gruff.

  


"Rum," Jack said simply and the old man nodded and grabbed dusty looking bottle off the shelf.

  


"That'll be eight shillings," the old bartender said. Jack, who had been reaching for his purse stopped.

  


"For just one bottle?" he asked incredulously. The old man nodded. Jack sighed and put the money down on the bar, which the old man swept up as he set the bottle down in front of Jack. "This better be bloody good rum," he muttered to himself as he opened the bottle.

  


"It is," the old man said, overhearing him. "We get it straight from the Governor's daughter herself."

  


Jack grinned. From Elizabeth hmm? And she said she hated rum. Jack laughed and took a drink from the bottle. He was immediately forced to agree with the bartender, it **was** bloody good rum!

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cat was awoken by a hand shaking her shoulder. Without opening her eyes she said, "What is it Crissie?" She knew the hand on her shoulder belonged to Crissie, the sole barmaid who worked for her. Everyone else just yelled in her ear to wake her up.

  


"Tomas says that Jack Sparrow's in the bar Cat," Crissie said.

  


Cat sat up and her eyes flashed open. "How long has he been here?"

  


Crissie bit her lip uncertainly and said, "About an hour I guess?"

  


Cat swore. "And why wasn't I awoken before this?"

  


"We only just found out!" Crissie answered. "He came in and bought a bottle of rum and it wasn't until he was halfway through his second bottle that he revealed who he was."

  


Cat swore again. "All right," she said. "Go on back out and tell Tomas I'll be out in a minute." Crissie nodded and left Cat's room, carefully shutting the door behind her.

  


_Damn,_ Cat thought as she brushed her hair out and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, _He's been here long enough, if Norrington finds out..._ Cat shook her head. He was always looking for something she was doing wrong. If it wasn't her customers than she was buying the rum illegally or she was stealing it. He never gave her a moment's peace. And he expected her to turn Sparrow in? Yeah right. Her income came from old pirates who would desert her and never come back if she invited redcoats into the bar. She would half to deal with this her way...

  


Cat strapped her sword to her side and stuck her small backup knife in the harness on the inside of her boot before throwing the door open and emerging into the smoky gloom of the bar.

  


The first thing she noticed was the strong smell of tobacco in the air. As she looked around she saw that once again Ryan was sitting in the corner smoking. How many times had she told him not to do that? Oh, well, it didn't matter right now. Shooting a death glare in his direction anyway (which he missed) she walked over to Tomas, who nodded towards the man sitting at the bar. His brown hair was covered in a hat and it looked as though underneath the hat he wore a bandanna. There were beads hanging amongst his hair as well, giving him an almost Gypsy-like air. He was also sporting a beard, which was plaited into two braids.

  


Cat grimaced. **This** was the famous Jack Sparrow that every woman fell for? The same Jack Sparrow who had escaped not once, but twice, from Norrington? She was not impressed. To her, all he looked like was another drunken pirate. This was going to be easy.

  


She leaned forward across the bar. Her black hair fell forward and she pushed it out of her face. Sparrow's dark brown _(Chocolate brown,_ a part of her mind whispered._) _eyes took her in. She studied him for a moment. She let her eyes harden and she studied him in the way she would study an enemy.

  


"Ah yes," she said, allowing her voice to become mocking. "Jack Sparrow. The infamous Jack Sparrow." Cat could here the snickers of a few of her regular customers who had undergone this ritual themselves. 

  


"_Captain_ Jack Sparrow," he said, and Cat realized that he was a bit more alert than she had thought. Oh well, it didn't matter. 

  


"What makes you think you have the right to come in here?" Cat said her voice dripping with venom. She had to get him out of here before he got her in trouble. Besides, she didn't like him very much as it was.

  


"Well, last I checked, love, this bar was open to anyone," Sparrow said, his eyes (_chocolate brown_) showing just a hint of irritation.

  


"Well, Captain Sparrow," she said as she walked out from behind the bar, "the rules have changed since you last came here." _Wait, what the bloody hell is he talking about, since when has Sparrow __**ever** been in my bar?_ Shaking herself mentally she locked eyes with him and continued, "I have a share in this bar and any pirate who comes in here must earn my respect before they drink."

  


"It's a bit late for that, love," he said, grinning and holding up his now nearly empty rum bottle.

  


"I know," Cat said, allowing the barest of smiles to flitter across her lips momentarily. He was drunk, that much was obvious, and that meant his senses would be dulled and he would be slower. "Any pirate who fails to earn my respect before drinking must fight with me." She saw Sparrow's eyebrows start to rise in disbelief. "A sword fight. If they win they have the right to throw me out and take my share in the bar. If they lose..." Cat hesitated a moment and felt herself smirking. "I have the right to throw them out and ban them from ever coming back."

  


Sparrow stood and looked at her slowly, as if determining whether she was worth his time. Apparently, he decided she was because he said, in slightly mocking tones of his own, "All right then, love, but don't get too upset when I win." 

  


_Arrogant, like all the rest of them,_ Cat thought as once again her regulars snickered.

  


"Cat, don't," Tomas's soft voice warned. She turned to look at him. She wasn't surprised to see the worried expression on his face. He seemed to think that it was his job to look out for her. "Cat, that's Jack Sparrow."

  


Cat gritted her teeth. "I know who it is Tomas," she said. Did the old geezer seriously think she wasn't aware of what she was doing? "What's your point?"

  


"My point is," Tomas said his voice a little sterner when he saw how little effect his words had on her, "I don't want you to make a royal fool of yourself."

  


She turned away, he was starting to annoy her. Taking a phrase she had heard from Elizabeth she said, "Well, Tomas, I appreciate your concern but I'm afraid I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request." She met Sparrow's eyes again and said, "As the challenger you have the right to choose the ground Mr. Sparrow. Will it be in here or outside?" 

  


_Oh, please let him choose outside,_ Cat thought remembering a time when the challenger had actually chosen indoors. **That** had been a bloody mess.

  


"Oh, outside I think love," he said with a grin. Cat turned and walked towards the door, ignoring the amused smiles of her regulars. They thought this was hilarious.

  


_I probably shouldn't have my back to him,_ Cat thought as she shoved open the door and emerged into the darkness of the yard. She blinked several times, trying to make her eyes adapt faster. Luckily it was a full moon so the entire yard was illuminated in its silvery light. As Cat turned back around to look at Sparrow she briefly wondered what the moonlight made her look like. With an internal sigh she pulled her blade slowly out of its sheath and held it out in front of her. She did so with a measured slowness that let what Will called her "cat's grace" show through. She held her sword out in front of her as she had done many times before.

  


Sparrow watched her as she did so and when she had drawn her blade he quickly unsheathed his and held it out in front of him almost casually. Cat raised an eyebrow at him as they began to circle each other. 

  


_It's hard to tell whether he's drunk or just like that all the time,_ Cat thought to herself as she watched him sway back and forth slightly. Suddenly his sword was moving towards her throat. She brought her sword up and knocked it away before it could reach its intended target. He was fast, but not so fast she couldn't handle it. Imitating his actions, she moved her sword towards his throat and was pleased when he knocked it away just as she had. It wouldn't have done for her to beat him in the beginning. She smiled as she slipped into her predatory, fighting mode and swung her blade hard. Sparrow blocked it with ease.

  


(A/N: Yeah sorry I can't write sword fights well so please forgive me.)

  


For a good portion of the fight Cat had Sparrow on the retreat. _This is almost too easy,_ she found herself thinking. Then, quite suddenly it became Cat who was on the retreat. Sparrow was advancing and as hard as she tried she couldn't make him back down. She found herself taking step after backwards. Finally, her back hit the fence and she nearly fell back over it. As she tried to regain her balance, Sparrow knocked her blade from her hand and the tip of his sword was at her throat. Cat made certain she was holding very still. 

  


_I knew it was too easy,_ Cat thought bitterly. _Why did I have to offer him my "share" in the bar? Bet now I've lost it._ Cat had not lost one of her sword fights in a long time and fear began to well up in her at the thought of losing her bar to Sparrow. Her bar was her home, all she had left of her family.

  


~*Flashback*~

Cat found Will's sword at her throat once more, her own on the floor, only just out of her reach. He had beaten her again by using one of the hardest moves she had ever seen.

"How did you do that?" She demanded. "You were tired, where did you get the energy for that?"

Will shook his head at her. "You just committed one of the most common mistakes in swordplay. Never underestimate your opponent."

~*End Flashback*~

  


She could feel Sparrow's eyes studying her. She now knew that he had been far from drunk, in fact he had been almost completely sober. _Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ Cat chided herself. _You completely ignored everything Elizabeth had told you about him. You underestimated him. Stupid, stupid, stupid._

  


Sparrow's sword moved away from her throat, and Cat was surprised that she managed to get the words out.

  


"So, Sparrow, will you take my share in the bar? You've earned your right to it."

  


Filled with apprehension she waited for his answer, not meeting his eyes.

  


Jack frowned. There was something in Cat's voice that seemed off, perhaps it was the way she refused to meet his eyes. He could certainly understand being bitter about not winning but this felt like something else to him.

  


"I've no interest in running a bar, love," Jack said. "Tell, you what, give me a few bottles of that wonderful rum of yours free of charge and we'll be calling it even."

  


"Deal," Cat said quickly and her eyes finally met his. There was a gratefulness in her eyes. Jack realized that her share in the bar must have meant quite a lot to her. He'd meant what he'd said though. He was a pirate and as far as he was concerned the only thing to do with rum is drink it. He never would have been able to stock up alcoholic drinks as she had.

  


Cat felt all her tension dissipate at Jack's words. She could keep her bar! 

  


_But what now, _she thought as they reentered the bar_. How do I get him to leave now?_

  


_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

**Reviewer Thanks:**

  


**EriksAngel2:** Thanks, I'm glad you like Cat, I've been working hard on her, to keep her from becoming a Mary-Sue. And as for loving Jack... Who doesn't?

  


**G0ldensnidget, a.k.a. Snitch: ** Yeah I know, everything's been used so many times over it's sometimes hard to be original. And as for Cat and Jack falling madly in love by the third chapter, don't worry, I won't. I hate stories where some woman and Jack are immediately in love. Those just bug me. 

  


**OrcaGirl:** He-he, glad you're so enthusiastic about! 

  


Did you guys like the complete chapter? Yes? No? Review!


	3. Nightmares

**A/N:** Yes, I realize that I'm horrible at updating. All I can say is that school teachers always seem to think I have nothing better to do than stupid homework assignments. I will try to be more consistant with my posts.

  


This is my first POTC ff and I'm trying hard for Cat not to be a Mary-Sue. Please don't go too hard on me. (Constructive critisism is welcome though!)

  


**Disclaimer:** I sent a request letter to Disney asking for the rights but they sent it back with the word no written all over the letter and envelope. I wonder if they were trying to make a point... Still not mine.

  


______________________________________________________________________

  


**Chapter 2: Nightmares**

  


As it turned out, Jack left of his own accord as soon as she had given him two bottles of her best rum. He grinned as he made his way through the darkness to the rowboat that sat on the shore, waiting for him. He'd be back on the Pearl soon, and maybe he'd open one of the rum bottles he'd gotten from Cat.

  


Jack frowned to himself as he moved the boat out into the water. The girl interested him. She was cocky and arrogant, yet at the same time he had detected uncertainty and even hints of fear in her voice and actions. At least, he thought to himself, she knew when she was beat. There had been people who would challenge him to a duel and then, when he actually won, would refuse to accept that fact. Will had been one of those for a while.

  


Hopping into the boat Jack began to row back to the Pearl. The moonlight streamed down on the water as the oars sliced through it, creating a set of ripples each time. Cat had most definitely intrigued him and he planned on returning tomorrow. Perhaps after he had visited with Will and Elizabeth as they had insisted he do. And who knew? Maybe he could convince her to part with another bottle of rum. Jack grinned, and his golden teeth, caught by the moonlight, glimmered.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


Half an hour after Sparrow departed, Cat began to shoo everyone out of her bar. She needed sleep, and it had been a while since she'd fought someone decent, so she was tireder than usual. Once she'd managed to get the protesting drunks out, she had to try and get rid of Tomas, which proved to be something easier said than done.

  


"All right, well, I'll see you tomorrow Tomas," Cat said, standing by the door and indicating that he was to leave. Tomas, however, didn't take the hint.

  


"What did you think you were doing?" he asked her with a frown.

  


_Oh no, here comes the speech again, _she thought. "Tomas–" she started.

  


"Don't you, Tomas, me, Jennifer Cattilia," he snapped. "That was a very stupid thing to do. That was _Jack Sparrow_ for crying out loud!"

  


"First off, my name is **Cat**," she snapped. "Second, I don't see why it matters now, it turned out all right didn't it?"

  


"It was still a stupid thing to do! Don't you pay any attention to the stories?"

  


"Yeah, I especially loved the one about him escaping from a desert island by roping himself a pair of sea turtles with hair from his back." Cat's voice dripped with sarcasm.

  


"Cat! You're not listening! He could have killed you!"

  


"But he didn't!"

  


Tomas just stared at her for a moment. "Cat, he could have, regardless of whether or not he did." He hesitated. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

  


"Careful Tomas," Cat said, a slight grin playing at her features. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were getting sentimental in your old age."

  


"Naw," he answered gruffly. "But I promised your brother that I'd keep an eye on you."

Another moment of silence passed between them before Cat said, "I'm sorry. I should have paid attention to you."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Tomas said. Turning away he headed out the door into the darkness. Cat watched him go, a mixture of amusement and annoyance in her eyes. She closed the door and locked it before doing the same with the grating. Shaking her head she started to blow out the lamps, but not before lighting a candle to make her way back to her room with. As she walked by the cabinets that held the bottles of alcohol, she was sorely tempted to take one down and get drunk. But she managed to make herself keep walking. The last thing she would need in the morning was a headache.

Shutting her bedroom door behind her Cat pulled out her night clothing and changed into it. Yawning widely, she put out her candle and slipped into bed. She fell asleep quickly, only five minutes after she had laid down. 

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


Cat sat up with a scream. She rolled over in her bed, trying to find her candle. Her hands trembled as she struck the match and lit the candle. She took one deep breath, then another as she sat there rocking back and forth in the semi-darkness.

  


The candlelight pushed the darkness further away but did nothing to dispel it. It still surrounded her like the bars of a cage. A dark cage...

  


Cat sat on her bed, holding a candle and rocking back and forth, tears sliding silently down her pale cheeks. She stayed that way for a long time, and did not go back to sleep until the sun's first light had broken over the horizon.

  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


She awoke perhaps five hours later to a pounding on the front door of the bar. Climbing out of bed and throwing on a robe over her nightdress she proceeded to the front door of her bar, muttering about stupid drunks under her breath. Unlocking the grating and the door she threw them both open with a vengeance, ready to tell off the fool who had decided to disturb her. So she felt incredibly shocked when it was not one of the drunks standing at her door but Elizabeth. Cat stared stupefied for a moment.

"Well, are you going to let us in?" Elizabeth asked teasingly. It was only then that Cat noticed the other two people standing behind her. She nodded and step aside wordlessly. Elizabeth, Will and Jack Sparrow all trooped into her bar. The last member of this group caught her attention and she promptly found herself fully awake.

"What," she demanded, rancor in her voice, "are you doing here?"

  


Sparrow turned to look at her. He smirked and said, "Well, love, I believe I earned the right to be here last night. Or do I have to beat you at swordplay again? Not that it would be that hard mind you but I'm just not in the mood."

Cat's hand flew in an arc and landed with a _slap_ against his left cheek, leaving an angry red mark there.

  


"Jennifer!" Elizabeth said in shock. In the back of her head Cat knew she had no reason or right to slap him and that he indeed had earned the right to be there but she chose to ignore the rational side of her mind and she just glared at Sparrow, waiting for his reaction.

  


Sparrow raised a hand to touch the red mark her hand had left upon his cheek. He looked at her his eyes indecipherable and said, "Now would you mind telling what I did to deserve that?"

  


Cat couldn't think of anything to say. Why **had** she done that? Sure, she didn't like him too much but that didn't mean he had done anything to deserve it. Letting indifference slide into her eyes she said the first thing that came to her mind.

  


"Because I could Mr.–"

  


"Captain," Sparrow put in quickly.

  


"–Sparrow," she continued as though he had not spoken. "Just because you have the right to be here does not mean I want you here, nor does it mean that I have to welcome you." Ignoring the shocked looks of Elizabeth and Will she stormed back to her room and slammed the door behind her.

  


She walked around her room, pulling out the clothing she intended to wear, throwing it angrily onto the bed. She didn't know just why she was angry but she was and so help anyone or anything that got in her way. She reached for her brush but in removing it from her dresser she knocked something to the floor. With a slight growl she looked down to see what had fallen.

  


She felt her anger drain away as she bent down to pick it up. She recognized it. It was a necklace that her father had given it to her years ago, a day or so before he had been caught and sentenced to death...

  


Cat stopped right there. She wasn't about to go into **that** right now. Instead she looked closer at the necklace It was a simple, ribbon-like gold chain and off it hung a small key. Cat had never discovered what the key opened. She assumed that whatever it was had been lost years ago. Slowly, she unfastened it, brought it up and refastened it about her neck. It felt heavier than she had expected it too. 

Calmer now, Cat turned to dress and found Elizabeth standing in her doorway. Elizabeth smiled at her and closed the door behind her.

  


"Are you all right?" She asked the younger girl, concern evident in her brown eyes. "I haven't seen you be so obviously rude to anyone in a long time..."

  


Cat had to think about that one for a moment. She **had** been rude to Sparrow, and for no apparent reason either. He'd done nothing to her and no matter how hard she tried Cat could think of no reason why she had done what she did.

  


"I–I'm not sure," she said hesitantly. "I mean it's not like he did anything to me... I can't think why I just acted like that."

Elizabeth looked at her again, more closely than before. Cat found herself sinking into a thoughtful mode. Elizabeth had seen her through a lot and if anyone could help her right now then it was her.

  


"Well," Elizabeth said after a moment. "I know you've never really had mood swings before. Has something changed?"

  


Cat shook her head as she started to yawn. Bloody hell, she was tired. That's what she got for staying awake so long– Her mouth snapped shut. She remembered now. In her anger it had faded from her mind but now it was back.

  


"Last night I- I mean, I," Cat stumbled over the words, not wanted to detail her dream out loud. She met Elizabeth's eyes again. "That is to say, the nightmares are back."

  


Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly. "Back? But I thought they were gone..." she trailed off, unable to think of what to say.

  


"So did I," Cat said softly.

  


Silence reigned in the room for a few moments. Both women were silent as they thought.

"Are they the same as before?" Elizabeth asked suddenly, alarm in her eyes.

  


Cat shook her head. "No," she said. "They're different but they have the same feeling to them. And they feel closer..." Silence fell again. This time however, it was not broken by either of the two women but by a yell and a loud crash from the other room.

  


"Oh God," Cat muttered, and retying the sash to her robe, she dashed from the room.

  


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Did you like it? Hate it? Review! (Even if you hated it, because I want to know why)


	4. Of Rum and Redcoats

**A/N: **I've got more! I spent all week working on it. And I will try to update more often but I can't promise much. I do, however, promise not to give up on this story. 

  


Btw, my characterization of the original characters could use some work. If you have any suggestions please let me know!

  


  


**Disclaimer:** *throwing a glance at the group of lawyers glaring at her* Um, yeah, not mine. Except Cat. And her bar. And the necklace. Oddly enough I own a necklace like that to. Well, not anymore, I took it apart and now the key is on a different necklace and.... (Rambles on for half an hour)

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**Chapter Three: Of Rum and Redcoats**

  


When Cat threw open the door, she was not exactly certain what to expect. So she found herself feeling surprised when she was greeted by Jack Sparrow standing guiltily over three broken bottles of rum. His hands were stretched out as though he had tried to catch the bottles as they fell. Cat's eyes traveled up to see where they had fallen from. The small cabinet on the wall, the one she kept her best rum in, was open and now there was only one bottle in it. Eyes flashing she looked back at Sparrow, who gazed mournfully at the broken bottles on the floor.

  


"An awful waste that," Sparrow muttered, almost to himself. He just then noticed Cat, standing there with her hands on hips, eyes glimmering dangerously. He forced a grin but to her it looked like the sheepish grin of a little boy who has been caught misbehaving.

  


"I would appreciate it," Cat said, her voice deadly quiet, "if you would explain to me what is going on here." She looked pointedly at the broken bottles on the floor.

  


"Ah, well, I was reaching for that bottle," Sparrow said, pointing to the one remaining bottle in the cabinet. "And the others just fell out."

  


"I see," she said, her voice now growing louder. "And you thought I wouldn't mind if you just helped yourself to my best rum?"

  


"Well, I didn't know it was your best," Sparrow said. "If I had I would have been more careful..." 

  


Cat turned her angry gaze onto Will now. "And you let him?" 

  


"I tried to stop him!" Will protested.

  


Cat closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself. _Don't do anything, just calm down, _she thought to herself. 

  


"I'm sure you can replace them," Sparrow's voice said. This was the last straw for Cat. Her eyes flew open and she advanced upon him, no other thought in her mind than to slap him as hard as she possibly could. However, her hand never reached its intended target. Sparrow reached up and caught her wrist before her hand even stood a chance of hitting his face. She pulled at her hand, trying to free it. An amused smirk found its way to Sparrow's face, only infuriating her more.

  


"Let go of my wrist!" Cat demanded in anger. 

  


"Only if you promise that you're not going to slap me, Miss Cattilia," he said calmly, as though he had nothing better to do than to keep her from slapping him.

  


Cat glowered at him in hate. Finally, after the longest pause ever, she muttered, "All right, I won't slap you." Still smirking, he released her hand. Cat's thoughts raced a moment then she said, "Clean it up."

  


Sparrow looked at her as if she were daft. And perhaps she was, expecting one of the "most fearful" pirates in the Caribbean to take responsibility. 

  


"Come again?" Sparrow asked, still looking at her as if she were stupid.

  


"You heard me," Cat said. "Clean it up. You broke them. You can clean it up." She walked over to the side of the cabinet. She grabbed the mop leaning against said cabinet and thrust it at Sparrow. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she narrowed her eyes thinking, _Do it or you'll get to see a side of me that I can guarantee you won't like._

  


As if he heard her thoughts Sparrow took the mop and began to clean up the mess, muttering something under his breath about the indignity of it. Cat smirked triumphantly at him before turning to Elizabeth.

  


"Would you make sure he does it?" She asked softly. Elizabeth nodded, a smile in her eyes. Cat grinned once, said, "Thanks," and proceeded to her room to finish changing.

  


Closing the door softly behind her, Cat took a deep breath. Today was not turning out at all like she had planned. Sparrow had a habit of throwing her perfectly random, yet somehow organized, life into complete chaos. It was incredibly annoying. She changed as quickly as she could. If Sparrow chose to break another of her rum bottles she wished to be there when it happened. 

  


Cat finished dressing, pulled on her boots and strapped on her belt. There, now she would be prepared in case anything happened. What she was expecting to happen she had no idea, but with a pirate around it was probably best to be prepared for trouble. And speaking of trouble...

  


Cat ran to her window and cursed softly. Norrington and a group of redcoats were making their way up the road and it looked as though they were headed straight for the bar.

  


Cat all but ran into the other room. Jack had finished mopping up the floor and now sat at the bar. They all turned and looked at her in surprise. Cat supposed it looked amusing, her suddenly rushing into the room for apparently no reason at all.

  


"What is it?" Elizabeth asked. 

  


"Redcoats," Cat answered. At that one word Sparrow sat bolt upright and stared at her. "Norrington and some soldiers are approaching." She threw a nasty glance at Sparrow and said, "I assume they're searching for you." He nodded. Cat sighed and gestured to the door to her room. "You can hide in there. But don't make a sound."

  


Sparrow nodded and moved quickly towards the doorway to her room. His swaying gait had been replaced by a brisk walk as he hurried over to the doorway. He moved to close the door and before he did Cat hissed, "And don't you** dare**touch anything!" Sparrow smirked amusedly at her and closed the door. 

  


Cat practically ran to behind the bar and tried to make it seem as though she was doing something worthwhile. Grabbing a rum bottle off the shelf behind her she reached for some glasses. One fell onto the floor and shattered with the impact. Cat, in frustration, cursed very loudly just as the door to her bar opened. Norrington stepped in and Cat promptly forgot about the broken glass on the floor. Her social smile found its way to her lips and she hid the fear in her eyes behind a her social mask.

  


"Commodore," she said politely, "to what do I own this visit?"

  


"Perhaps, Miss Cattilia," Norrington said dryly, "it would be due to the fact that Mr. Sparrow was here and you failed to inform me."

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Ha-ha, a cliffy! Don't worry, I'll have more up A.S.A.P. School seems to be doing its best to try and stop me from posting more but I don't care. I won't abandon this though, even if it looks like I am.

  


**Reviewer Thanks:**

  


**_LadyAkhana: _**Glad you like! I suppose you'll want more now huh? I'm working on it don't worry.

  


_**Lizzie:**_ Yay! You love it? I'm flattered. 


	5. Bloody Pirates

**A/N:** I'm back! I'm so so sorry it's taken this long to get another chapter. Just so every one knows I have no plans of abandoning this story. I have had writer's block and then it was finals time and then Christmas time and then my mother forced me to start cleaning my room and I couldn't get to my computer. Then the prophecy (later in this chapter) was driving me nuts because I couldn't think of how to continue it. Anyway, thank you SOOOO much to everyone who reviewed while I was in my little phase of writer's block. Every time I read one of your reviews I would get out this story again to try and work on it.

Just in reference to something mentioned later in this chapter, I know that back in Jack's time the Bermuda Triangle didn't really exist. Please for the sake of the story just pretend it did ok? 

Oh, and I'm not sure if I'm doing a very good job portraying Will and Elizabeth. Jack's a little iffy too. If any of you have any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

**Disclaimer:** I own Pirates of the Caribbean! *Throws a glance at the pack of angry lawyers striding towards her* uh, well, maybe just the video. But Cat is mine!

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Norrington stepped in and Cat promptly forgot about the broken glass on the floor. Her social smile found its way to her lips and she hid the fear in her eyes behind her social mask.

  


"Commodore," she said politely, "to what do I owe this visit?"  
  


"Perhaps, Miss Cattilia," Norrington said dryly, "it would be due to the fact that Mr. Sparrow was here and you failed to inform me."

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**Chapter Four: Bloody Pirates**

  


Cat's mouth went dry. "Indeed?" she asked, trying with all her might to think of a way out of this one. "May I ask what gave you such an idea?"

  


"Perhaps because one of your customers decided to do what you had refused to do, he informed the proper authorities," Norrington said. His gray-blue eyes were piercing and for a moment she entertained the idea that he could read her mind. She dismissed it quickly for what it was, foolish. Commodore Norrington could simply read people well.

  


"Well, you see, Commodore," she said. "I was not aware at the moment of his identity, or I would have sent for you immediately."

  


Norrington stared at her for a long moment. Cat strained to keep her fear hidden. Any moment now he would see it in her eyes and then he would know she was lying. After what seemed like forever Norrington gestured to his soldiers. They began heading for the door and Cat breathed an internal sigh of relief. 

  


"Now that you are aware of what he looks like, I will expect you to report him to me immediately." His eyes met hers again. "If you do not then the presence of this bar and its owner will no longer be tolerated in Port Royal. Have I made myself clear?"

  


Cat nodded wordlessly. It seemed to be the only thing that she could do. Norrington turned and walked stiffly from the bar. 

  


Her bar, he had just threatened to destroy her bar if she did not cooperate with the law. _And what was that about not tolerating me?_ Cat thought suddenly. _Would he really...?_ He would, she realized. And it wasn't as though she were completely innocent. She'd broken a number of small rules continuously throughout the years. Her bar attracted the less lawful type of people. To Norrington her bar was an annoyance and an embarrassment.

  


Cat turned from the doorway and walked towards her room briskly. The door sat closed, and Cat threw it open. She found Sparrow standing at the window, watching the redcoats leave. He turned when the door slammed against the wall.

  


"I want you out." She said nothing more than that but she didn't need to. Sparrow knew what she meant; she was sure that he did. Beneath his 'drunken idiot' facade, there was intelligence. 

  


Sparrow's eyes met hers. And then he did something completely out of place, something that completely didn't fit with the situation. He grinned at her. 

  


"Happy to oblige love," Sparrow said, and he sauntered past her to the bar and then, he sat down and picked up the bottle of rum on the bar.

  


"Don't even think about it!" Cat snapped angrily as she stomped towards him and snatched the bottle out of his hand.

Sparrow frowned, looked at her, shook his head and said, "Now that wasn't very nice love."

"Do you really want me to slap you again, Mister Sparrow?" Cat asked through gritted teeth. "Because I'm very very tempted to right now."

  


"First off, it's Captain, love. And I'd prefer it if you didn't," Sparrow answered and he sort of cautiously pushed himself away from the bar as though expecting her to slap him now.

  


"Then don't try to drink anything else in here unless you are prepared to pay for it," Cat said, her voice snappish and bossy. "This is a **bar** Mister Sparrow and it did not become a bar by giving out beverages for free."

  


"Captain, it's Captain Sparrow!" Sparrow said, irritation now openly evident in his voice. Then he looked at her, a sort of mischief creeping into his eyes and said, "Or you could call me Jack but that would imply intimacy. Not that I'd mind love but somehow I think you would." He grinned cheekily at her.

  


She glared openly at him. His only response was to raise his eyebrows suggestively and his grin grew wider. Cat gave an irritated sigh under her breath and turned to the current mess of glass on the floor. Bending down she began to pick up shards off the floor, placing them carefully into her hand. The shattered glass reminded her of something, something she felt was important. She frowned at the glass shards in her hand, willing them to reveal the mystery that they seemed to hold for her. Slowly, as if in a trance, she reached forward with her other hand and touched one finger to the sharp edge of the glass shard. She pulled her hand back sharply as the shard cut into her finger, leaving a thin diagonal cut. Crimson blood welled up, so that the cut was no longer quite so thin looking. And quite suddenly, the importance of the glass shards she held in her hand reached her.

  


"Elizabeth!" Cat gasped, dropping the shards of glass to the floor. They fell against the other glass shards with a familiar tinkling sound. Cat stood slowly as Elizabeth hurried around the bar, followed by Will. Sparrow leaned over the bar to see. 

  


"What is it?" Elizabeth asked, alarm and confusion mingling together in her voice. She peered down at Cat's hand, seeing nothing that would have made the girl cry out.

  


"It's from the nightmare." The words slid past her lips into the silence, echoing in her ears. She turned to Elizabeth, wide eyes on her bloodstained finger.

  


"This was in my nightmare," she whispered again. "Elizabeth, it's starting." She looked up at Elizabeth in time to see her face pale ever so slightly. Will's face looked drawn. 

  


"Crimson blood of the virgin young," Cat said. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself. It seemed like the right thing to say.

  


"Is the way to the treasure prized." Those words too, felt right and seemed to fit. She turned to look at Sparrow now, who had uttered the words. His eyes now glittered strangely, as though he wanted something and it was finally within his grasp.

  


"Why did you say that?" Elizabeth asked, but her question was directed to Sparrow and not to Cat.

  


Sparrow laughed, or sort of chuckled under his breath and then said, "It's part of a prophecy, Elizabeth, darling." Before anyone could say anything he continued, "The prophecy of El Tesoro Apreciado. It's about a treasure hidden on an island somewhere within the Bermuda Triangle."

  


"A prophecy," Cat whispered. 

  


Sparrow looked at her, his eyes once again strange and unreadable. "Aye," he said, "A prophecy that seems to have something to do with you." Then, as though just thinking of something, he asked, "You **are** a virgin aren't you?"

  


"Jack!" Elizabeth said sharply. He glanced at her and looked at Cat again in a rather suggestive manner. He smirked suddenly as she felt her cheeks grow warm and Cat realized she was blushing. She glared at Sparrow.

  


"Never mind," he said. He still had that self-satisfied smirk on his face and Cat found herself just itching to kick him in a certain place and see just how long he could keep that damned smirk on his face after that. She restrained herself though, settling for the death glare that always made her customers behave. Sparrow's smile seemed to falter for a moment when he met her eyes but then it was back. Cat sighed inwardly and gave it up.

  


"What's the rest of the prophecy?" Cat asked in a resigned voice. It wasn't even midday yet she felt so tired that she could have fallen asleep where she stood. She was done playing Sparrow's games. She simply did not have the energy for them. 

  


To her surprise Sparrow merely shrugged and said, "Those are the only two lines I remember. I was drunk when the old man started telling it to me and he only said it once."

  


Cat stared at him. "That's it?!" She asked incredulously. "That's all you know?"

  


Sparrow narrowed his eyes at the accusatory tone in her voice. "Well, I'm not the only one with information. What about these so called nightmares of yours? What did you mean when you said it was starting?"

  


Cat dropped her eyes to the floor and refused to speak, so Elizabeth jumped in.

  


"She had very distinctive nightmares about Barbossa and the whole adventure that led to the breaking of the curse," Elizabeth said, "just one week before the whole thing happened. Every single detail she could remember from them fit perfectly with what happened. After it was over, the dreams stopped." Elizabeth glanced at Cat, but she did not indicate she had heard anyone say anything.

  


"Well, it seems to me that you ought to divulge what you have learned from this dream," Sparrow said, staring at Cat. She merely shook her head and he made an irritated sound in the back of his throat. "You're going to have to share the information sometime, love. Especially if it continues on like I think it will. Why not reveal it now?"

  


"Because it would be of profit to you!" Cat snapped angrily, jerking her head up. She was sick and tired of Sparrow. He'd done nothing but turn her life upside down since he got here and now he refused to leave her alone.

  


Cat froze, terror running through her as she saw someone standing in the doorway to her bar. A someone who wore the characteristic blue coat of an officer of the Royal Navy. 

  


"Well, well, well," Norrington said, causing Elizabeth, Will and Sparrow to whirl around. "It appears that I should never have asked you for help in the first place, Miss Cattilia. You were working against the law the entire time."

  


Cat opened her mouth to speak, to come up with some excuse but nothing would come out. Norrington stepped into the bar and it was only then that Cat realized he had soldiers behind him.

  


"I will deal with you later." Norrington's eyes moved from her to Sparrow. Upon feeling the Commodore's gaze upon him, Sparrow jumped over the bar, grabbed Cat by the hair and had a knife to her throat within seconds. Norrington's eyes flashed and he took a step towards the bar.

  


"Jack!" Elizabeth exclaimed. Will, like Norrington took a step towards her.

  


"Stay back," Sparrow warned. His voice had become sharp and abrupt and Cat felt real fear of Sparrow slide into her as he pressed the knife harder against her throat. Cat gasped and Norrington and Will halted abruptly but their eyes still glimmered dangerously. 

  


"Try anything funny and you will have a dead body on your hands, Commodore," Sparrow said. "Now tell your soldiers to clear a path." 

  


"I could simply give them the order to shoot you," Norrington said.

  


"Aye, you could, but who knows what might happen to the knife at her throat as I die." Sparrow pushed the blade harder still against her throat. Cat stood absolutely still, but she couldn't stop a gasp of pain from passing her lips as the blade pressed against her skin and cut it ever so slightly.

  


Norrington stared at Sparrow for a moment, not saying anything. His gaze flicked to Cat momentarily and then it moved back to Sparrow. He didn't move his gaze at all but he said, "Stand aside." Slowly, reluctantly, the soldiers moved over to one side of the room.

  


"Now, Will, Elizabeth, if you would please join them," Sparrow said. Cat's eyes flicked to them, to see what they would do. She had no doubts that Sparrow was completely willing to slit her throat if it helped him escape. Slowly, Will and Elizabeth moved out from behind the bar to join the redcoats on their side of the room.

  


Sparrow began to back out from behind the bar, pulling Cat with him. Cat moved with him, afraid that if she didn't the knife would slice open her throat. As she backed past Will and Elizabeth she managed to get out the words, "Help me." Neither of them moved and their angry eyes stayed on Sparrow.

"Hush now love," Sparrow said into her ear, a warning in his voice. "You behave and nothing will happen, savvy?"

  


"Aye," Cat whispered. She said nothing else but she fixed her pleading eyes on Norrington, desperately wishing for his help for the first time in her life. She felt something warm sliding down her face. She distantly realized that she was crying. She never cried in public, now she felt shame wash over her in addition to her fear and her eyes dropped from Norrington's to the floor.

  


The two of them were close to the door now and as they stepped out of it, Sparrow pulled the grating door shut. "Do you have a key to this?" Cat made the barest of nods, but he felt it because he said, "Then lock it love and we'll be on our way."

  


Cat dared not even move for fear that if she did the knife would slit her throat and she said, "I can't reach it. Could you... that is... can I please have some room to breathe?"

  


Sparrow let out a small huff of amusement and moved his knife. It was just enough so she could move without being afraid that it would cut her but the knife remained close enough that she could still feel it just the slightest bit. Reaching into her pocket, Cat pulled out the key to the grating. She moved to lock the grating but her hands shook and she couldn't push the key into the lock.

  


"Hurry it up now, Cat, love, we haven't got all day," Sparrow said, and even though his voice still contained that note of warning, it now had just a hint of mocking to it.

  


Angrily, Cat shoved the key into the lock and turned it as she said, "It's Miss Cattilia to you, _Captain_ Sparrow."

  


Sparrow chuckled again and Cat felt her hate rising. Her hands ceased their trembling as she pulled the key out of the lock. Her fear diminished as the hatred took its place.

  


"Shut and lock the other door, love." Cat moved to do so and as she shut the wooden door she saw soldier running to the grating. She locked the door and carefully slipped the key back into her trouser pocket.

  


"Now, I don't have time to keep a knife to your throat all the time, Miss Cattilia," Sparrow informed her as they continued to back away from her bar. "So if I release you, you must promise to cooperate."

  


Cat weighed her options. If she promised he would move that damned knife away from her throat but essentially she would still be his prisoner. But if she didn't agree, she would have that knife to her throat the whole way and she knew for certain that she didn't want that. Cat sighed.

  


"I promise," Cat said, crossing her fingers as she thought, _to run the first chance I get._

  


The knife moved away from her throat and Cat stumbled away from Sparrow, her hand going to her throat. When she pulled her fingers away there was blood on them. She glared at Sparrow.

  


"You cut my throat," she accused. Sparrow rolled his eyes.

  


"It's nothing life threatening, love. Now come on, we need to be leaving before Commodore Norrington figures out how to open those doors." He held out his hand to her. Cat hesitated to take it. She had felt how strong his grip was once before and she knew that if she let him take hold of her hand now that she would ruin nearly all her chances of escaping.

  


She must have hesitated too long for Sparrow's liking because he seized her wrist and began to run, dragging her along with him.

  


"Let go of me!" Cat demanded as she ran, to keep from being dragged. Hatred was racing through her and when Sparrow didn't respond or give any indication that he'd heard her she tried to pull her arm free. It was no good though, Sparrow had an iron grip and no matter how hard she pulled his grip didn't loosen one bit.

  


Sparrow did, however, turn his head so she could hear him and said, "You promised to cooperate. If you keep fighting me I have no qualms against hauling you aboard my ship across my back."

Cat stopped trying to free her arm, imagining the humiliation she would be forced to endure if Sparrow had to drag her aboard his ship kicking and screaming. The crew would no doubt find it incredibly amusing, and she would appear to be one the stuck up "proper ladies" she so despised. She ceased her struggling but she seethed with anger. Sparrow was ruining her life and there was naught she could do about it.

_I'll make you sorry you ever disturbed my life Sparrow,_ Cat thought. _I'm not yet sure how but you **will** be __sorry. I swear it._

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Well, there you have it! I promise promise promise to get out the next chapter ASAP.

Please Review!

  


Reviewer Thanks:

  


**Lenne Hime:** I hope (If you haven't given up on me) that you enjoy this chapter. I'm sorry for leaving it at a cliffy.

  


**Lady Akhana:** Again I apologize for the cliffy, I know I hate it when authors do that to me. Anyway, thanks for understanding about school, it was really a nightmare. And I'm always happy to put people's names in my story.

  


**Shanelover1:** Thanks for popping in to read this story, and I'm glad you like Cat. I'm doing my best to keep her from being Mary Sue-ish. 

  


Oh, and before I forget, I wanted to ask if anyone has seen a PotC ff set in modern times where Jack pirates movies that haven't been release on to video yet? And Will is a young, sorta low ranking assistant in the police force and Norrington is a detective? Anyone know what I'm talking about? If you do and you know the title could you please let me know? It was a really good ff...

  


Ta,

Kery J. Wales


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